The field of the invention relates generally to energy harvesting survey systems and, more particularly, to an energy harvesting survey apparatus for use with energy harvesting survey systems.
At least some known machines, such as auxiliary assets that are used in power generation or refining applications, such as electric motors and motor-driven pumps may generate excess or waste heat. For example, machines, such as steam turbines or gas turbines may generate excess or waste heat that does not have an immediate use in, for example, the power generation process. As a result, the machines may be part of, or combined with, energy harvesting systems that attempt to capture the waste heat such that thermal energy from the waste heat may be available for use, such as, for example, power generation. At least some known energy harvesting systems may include, for example, thermoelectric generators that are configured to capture thermal energy. At least some known thermoelectric generators include a junction of two dissimilar materials, such as two dissimilar electrical conductors. A thermal gradient formed between the two conductors produces a voltage. Large power outputs are generated by electrically connecting many junctions together in series and by connecting many junctions thermally in parallel.
Energy harvesting systems, however, are dependant on available waste heat, but many plants and/or factories are unable to detect how much thermal energy is available by waste heat from a machine. During a site evaluation, for example, it may be cumbersome to accurately detect and/or measure the housing temperature of the machine and surrounding air. There is a substantial burden of equipment and setup time associated with positioning temperature sensors and related equipment within the plants and/or factories. Even if the temperature can be readily detected and/or measured, the determination of whether a machine is a substantially viable energy harvester source may be tedious and time-consuming. For example, data regarding the detected temperatures may need to be entered into a computing device such that an expected amount of thermal energy to be produced by an energy harvesting system, based on the detected temperatures, may be determined and/or displayed to a user.